OUT NOW! ENDURO Issue #054: Hidden Champions

It’s time for a new year, new resolutions and new experiences! It’s also time to broaden your horizons, find new ways of looking at life and raise your awareness of things you’ve ignored thus far. What was the best trail you rode this year? Did you make new friends? Did you have experiences you never thought you would have? Is the protective gear you use for everyday riding up to date? Do you know that feeling, when you’re reluctant to try something you never thought would work but then you’re totally stoked to find out that it’s actually pretty awesome?

We dug deeper (literally), talked to three very different trail builders and rolled up our sleeves to find out what drives these unsung heroes. We also wanted to know whether they think that they deserve more recognition for their work. Because often we aren’t even aware of the fact that the trails we ride are the result of countless days of hard work and passionate digging.

For this issue, we visited Italian protector specialists MET, not only to take a look behind the scenes at production and testing of their products, but also to look at the current processes and technologies. We put together a comprehensive overview of all the things to look out for when buying new protectors, so you can hit the trail with the utmost peace of mind.

Moreover, art director Julian has a clear message for all of us: Talk to strangers! Not only has a banal “hello” changed Julian’s life on more than one occasion, but also has the potential to open up completely new possibilities and change our lives overnight.

The highlight of this issue is what we consider to be the biggest and most elaborate enduro bike group test to date, which includes 14 exciting bruisers and plenty of surprising findings. This time, we packed the bikes into the back of our van and travelled to the Alps, where we put the rigs through the wringer to find the best enduro bike of the year. This year, the test field also included two eMTBs, which might be very different from each other but proved that they definitely belonged in this test field!

But enough spoilers, just read for yourself, leaf through the digital pages, have a look and feel free to let us know what you think! We appreciate your feedback!

The highlights of this issue

• The best enduro bike of 2023 – 14 of the hottest bikes of the season in our big group test
• The Safety Bible – Everything you need to know about helmets and protective gear
• Trail building heroes – An ode to our unsung heroes, the secret creators of our trails.
• Espresso T(r)ails – The 9Barista espresso machine as your travel companion
• Talk to strangers! – How I found myself in Whistler via an adult website
• The Cycling Innovation Accelerator – The first global start-up-accelerator for the bike world

You can download the new issue in our magazine app now – free of charge as always! If you don’t yet have the app, you can find it in the App Store (iPhone/iPad) or in the Play Store (Android smartphones & tablets). The free, digital magazine is at the heart of what we do and undoubtedly the best way to experience our content. It comes with lots of interactive features, high-resolution images and videos and a unique design. We’re confident that if you like our website, you’ll love the app. By the way, you can also access all previous issues of ENDURO in the app – reading material for days!

All the bikes in this issue

Canyon Strive CFR | Deviate Claymore | Hope HB916 | Intense Tracer 279 S | MERIDA ONE-SIXTY 8000 | Mondraker Carbon Foxy RR | Norco Range C1 | Santa Cruz Megatower X01 AXS RSV | Santa Cruz Nomad X01 AXS RSV | SIMPLON Rapcon 170/165 | SIMPLON Rapcon Pmax TQ 170/165 | Specialized Stumpjumper EVO Elite Alloy | Yeti 160E T1 | Yeti SB160 T3

Below, we’ve put together a small selection of articles that you’ll find in the current issue.

The best enduro bike of 2023
In what we consider to be the most important and elaborate comparison test of the year, we pitted 14 of the most exciting enduro bikes of the year against each other. Our test field is excitingly diverse and includes everything from exotic stunners to hot newcomers, bold outsiders and old acquaintances, with prices ranging between € 6,299 and € 13,790. We headed south and put the bikes through the wringer on dreamlike Alpine trails to find out which is the best enduro bike of 2023.

The safety Bible
What do bees, gel pads and modelling clay have to do with riding bikes? It’s simple: they can save your neck when a stunt goes wrong. Modern MTB protectors are packed with amazing tech. We explain why some concepts offer better protection, why lighter isn’t always better, and how the specialists at MET Bluegrass test their products.

Trail building heroes
Who built your favourite trail? You don’t know? That’s the case more often than not. Still, every amazing line was planned and built by someone. Why do so many of these unsung yet industrious heroes with shovels fail to get the recognition they deserve? And would they even want all that attention?

Espresso T(r)ails – The 9Barista as a travel companion
In our most recent reader survey, a whopping 14,000 participants listed good coffee and travelling amongst their biggest passions. But when you’re constantly on the road, finding a decent cup of coffee can be hard. We had enough of tasteless, watery brews, so we tested the 9Barista espresso machine and can tell you how it performs on the trail and on the stove, both in terms of brewing time and taste. Goodbye bad coffee!

Talk to strangers!!
Oh look – the brothel headline turns heads (and maybe in some cases even turns on)! My story begins on an adult website and takes a decisive turn with a “hello”, ultimately getting me to Whistler via Brazil. Just take your hand out of your pants and scroll the screen to find out what exactly happened and what Troy Lee has to do with it.

Cycling Innovation Accelerator
With the Cycling Innovation Accelerator (C.I.A.), ENDURO founder Robin Schmitt has created the very first founder platform for the bike industry, which aims to accelerate the success of strong ideas and provide unique support for start-ups. Backed by an international board of advisors, the C.I.A. provides a unique, powerful blend of angel investors, networking, media reach and expertise, with which it aims to offer the best possible support for strong ideas and (still) unknown heroes. If we support promising start-ups with clear USPs, guiding them to sustainable growth through great products that improve our bikes, the scene and the way we ride, then their success is also ours.

Excited? These (and many more) stories are just a few clicks away. If you’ve already installed our free app, simply open it and download the latest issue right now. If not, first download the free app from the App Store (iPhone / iPad) or the Play Store (Android smartphones & tablets) and then download the latest issue in the app. All you’ve got to do then is sit back and enjoy (ideally with a cold beer or a delicious cup of coffee)! #qualitytime